Bring the whole family along to experience the magic of Broadway and Movie Hits with Symphony NH and singers from the Peacock Players, New Hampshire’s premiere award-winning youth theatre. Symphony NH Family Concerts feature an hour long concert with a variety of orchestral music that engages and entertains children ages five and up. The program includes guest performances by Peacock Players’ Artistic Director Keith Weirich and students singing along with Symphony NH.

This family-friendly event that young audiences will truly enjoy features music from Bernstein’s West Side Story John Williams’ Star Wars, Frozen, and more. Before the concert at 1 pm, join Symphony NH in the hall lobby for musical activities, including a musical instrument “petting zoo,” arts and crafts, and more.

Conductor, musical mentor, and educator Scott Parkman works with youth community members, formerly working as the Music Director for the St. Louis Youth Orchestra and as the Principal Conductor for the Oakland Youth Orchestra. Parkman developed this concert specifically with young audiences in mind.

Keith Weirich, Artistic Director of the Peacock Players, has produced over 85 Mainstage productions for Peacock Players, directing over 37 of them, having multiple New Hampshire Theatre Awards for his work. Student singers from the Peacock Players will include Lillie Ellars, Elsa Keefe and Aren Truex, who have collectively performed in over 50 Peacock Players productions.

Symphony NH, led by guest conductor Scott Parkman, featuring the Peacock Players, will perform music from Broadway to Star Wars on May 26th at 2 pm at the Court Street Theatre, 14 Court Street, Nashua, NH 03060. Free activities begin at 1 pm in the Court Street Theatre lobby. Youth tickets are $8 and adult tickets are $20. More information and tickets at www.symphonynh.org or (603) 595-9156.

NASHUA, NH – Symphony NH concludes its 94th season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and guest conductor Sameer Patel on April 7th at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH 03060. The season, named “The Year of Beethoven”, celebrated the works of the great composer and now concludes with his powerful Symphony No. 9 with New World Chorale and soloists Michelle Trainor, soprano; Janna Baty, mezzo-soprano; Alan Schneider, tenor; and Sam Handley, bass-baritone.

The concert pairs Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms for the 100th anniversary year of the American composer’s birth. The works are linked in many ways – both written for orchestra and chorus with final movements that begin in musical dissonance and resolve with musical and spiritual harmony. Perhaps the most moving tribute to Leonard Bernstein’s well-known affinity for conducting the works of Beethoven was his choice of the Ninth Symphony to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 (Robert Hoffman, Symphony NH Continuing Education Coordinator).

Leading the orchestra for this powerful program is guest conductor Sameer Patel. Internationally recognized for his versatile musicianship and passionate communication, Patel is one of America’s most exciting young conductors. A recipient of 2016 and 2017 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, he is currently in his third season as the Associate Conductor of the San Diego Symphony. Patel says, “I am thrilled to join Symphony NH this April for our program that features Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Beethoven's Symphony no. 9. The eternal message of both of these masterpieces is a reminder that music can be the greatest expression of our common humanity, and I am certain that our performance will find a way to move, touch, and inspire our audience.”

In an age of recordings available at the call of your digital assistant, little can still replace the experience of a live concert, especially one with over one hundred musicians performing one of history’s most celebrated works. Symphony NH will perform Beethoven 9 on Saturday, April 7th at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH 03060. Tickets are $18 - $49 with senior discounts available. Student tickets are $10, and youth tickets are free with the purchase of an adult or senior tickets. For tickets and information visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

Music Kitchen in Nashua: Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter and Symphony NH Partner for Free Concert

NASHUA, NH – The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter and Symphony NH announce a collaborative performance featuring the symphony’s January guest artist, violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins. On January 26th at 4:30 pm at the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, 2 Quincy Street, Nashua, NH 03060, Hall-Tompkins will perform a free concert during dinner. The public is welcome to attend and no RSVP is required. Seating is first come, first served.

Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins is a sought after soloist, known for her role as fiddler for Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof and was recently selected by The New York Times as a New Yorker of the Year for her work as President and founder of Music Kitchen - Food for the Soul in New York. The non-profit brings professional musicians into New York City soup kitchens and shelters to perform for residents, and inspires the performance in Nashua this January.

In an interview with The New York Times, Hall-Tompkins discussed the experience of playing in shelters, saying, “there’s something more profound reaching people with these pieces at this time in their lives,” recalling the audience at a soup kitchen concert of Brahms’ Sextet in G Major, “they were cheering like it was a sports game.... By the time we actually reached the end, they cheered like it was the winning point at the Super Bowl, and it was incredible.”

Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter Executive Director Michael Reinke looks forward to this and future collaborations, saying “at the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, we believe it is important to feed the heart as well as the stomach. We are excited about our partnership with Symphony NH. As the saying goes, ‘you’ve got to have art!’”

This performance is in conjunction with Symphony NH’s “All Beethoven” concert on January 27th at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH 03060, featuring Kelly Hall-Tompkins performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and her Fiddler Rhapsody and Scherzo, inspired by her time as fiddler for Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof, with guest conductor Roderick Cox leading the orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”. For more information, visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9165.

NASHUA, NH – Symphony NH Presents All Beethoven Concert, featuring guest conductor Roderick Cox and violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins on January 27th at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH 03060. Conductor Roderick Cox is recognized as "a trailblazer...a conductor who will be in the vanguard” (Minnesota Star Tribune). He currently serves as Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, and has conducted with the Cleveland and Chineke! Orchestras, and Seattle and Santa Fe Symphonies. Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins is renowned for her solo career, including her Broadway Fiddler on the Roof performance as “the versatile violinist who makes the music come alive..." (The New York Times).

Both Cox and Hall-Tompkins are pioneers in the world of music. Roderick Cox has established a reputation as a young talent, quickly rising through the ranks of top national orchestras and promoting diversity in the symphonic field. In an interview with NBC News, Cox says, “I think it’s important for people of different races and backgrounds to see themselves represented onstage… as our country continues to diversify, we as an orchestra have to diversify. Diversify our music choice, diversify our vendors, diversify our audience, diversify the musicians on the stage.”

Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins’ career has also broken barriers, recently recognized by The New York Times as New Yorker of the Year for her work ranging from music videos featuring her own arrangements of Fiddler on the Roof to her organization Music Kitchen that brings professional musicians into New York City shelters and soup kitchens to perform. Hall-Tompkins will bring this program to the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, performing for residents there on January 26th at 4:30 pm.

The concert program features Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Third Symphony, titled “Eroica” or heroic. The two works on this program premiered within a year of each other, with the symphony arriving first in 1805, bursting onto the scene with its vigor and rhythmic drive. Both pieces embodied Beethoven’s new way of musical thinking, in marked contrast to their predecessors. Although Beethoven wrote only one Violin Concerto, its scope and musical language moves it firmly into the nineteenth century, in contrast with his earlier Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano which gestures backward in time in homage to Haydn. Similarly, while his Symphony No. 2 reflects traditional classical formality, Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”) is purely Beethoven and no other, as described by Symphony NH Continuing Education Coordinator and Orchestra Bassist, Robert Hoffman.

Symphony NH, led by guest conductor Roderick Cox with violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, will perform All Beethoven on January 27th at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH 03060. Tickets are $18 - $49 with senior discounts available. Student tickets are $10, and youth tickets for audience members ages 15 and under are always free with the purchase of an adult or senior ticket. Robert Hoffman will present his free pre-concert talk “Words on Music” at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court Street, Nashua, on Thursday, January 25th at 5:30 pm. More information and tickets at www.symphonynh.org or (603) 595-9156.

NASHUA, NH – Symphony NH announces free Community Lecture Series in partnership with Temple Beth Abraham of Nashua. Symphony NH bassist, Robert Hoffman, as Symphony NH’s Continuing Education Coordinator, will host a free community lecture series entitled “Listening, Looking, and Thinking About Music,” celebrating the variety of cultures in the Nashua community through music. The pilot lecture took place in November with four more to follow throughout the Symphony NH season.

This lecture series will explore how the audience can participate fully in the creative experience of a musical event, giving attendees a glimpse of what happens on the stage and behind the scenes, including interactive discussions about the role that music plays in the communication of ideas and feelings. Specific examples will be drawn from the Symphony NH season in progress.

The next lecture in the series will take place on Sunday, January 21, 2018, from 10-11:30 am at Temple Beth Abraham at 4 Raymond St. in Nashua.

NASHUA, NH – Symphony NH announces a generous donation to their education endowment fund from an anonymous donor, which will help to preserve the legacy of their programs in the Nashua schools and greater Nashua and New Hampshire community.

Symphony NH is a leader in music education programming and has a long history with the Nashua School District, working with teachers to create programs for their students, including an annual free orchestra concert for all of the district’s third graders. Symphony NH has performed similar programs in the Manchester, Concord, Bow, and Upper Valley school districts in addition to bringing orchestra musicians to schools to work directly with students.

Symphony NH’s community programs range from their free InTown concert series to a free community lecture series at Temple Beth Abraham in Nashua to classes at the Rivier Institute for Senior Education (RISE). Symphony NH believes that anyone should be able to attend their concerts, with a Community Ticket Program that makes attending concerts possible for all. Symphony NH provides free and discounted tickets to community organizations, from libraries, to music schools, to non-profits at no cost to the participating organization.

Since joining the organization in 2016, Executive Director Marc Thayer has made expanding these programs a main focus, saying, “The Symphony’s Education and Community Programs are a large priority for all of us. We plan to expand our work with the schools in order to support arts education in our region, which wouldn’t be possible without our generous donors.”

Symphony NH’s mission is to inspire and enlighten through exceptional live music, with music education and community programming at the core of their pursuit.

These programs are made possible by individual donations and grant funding. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to Symphony NH during this season of giving, please contact their office at (603) 595-9156 or give online at https://www.symphonynh.org/donate. Your donation will help further ensure the legacy of Symphony NH in your community.

NASHUA N.H.— Warm your heart with yuletide cheer this holiday season as Americana band Act of Congress joins Symphony NH for Holiday Pops onSaturday, December 9 at 7:30 pm in Nashua and Sunday, December 10 at 3 pm in Concord. Guest conducted by Joseph R. Olefirowicz, this performance celebrates your favorite carols and introduces a new take on the classics. This concert for all ages is even topped off with a special visitor from the North Pole.

Sing along as the orchestra performs the classics, Act of Congress presents their original work, and enjoy the collaboration as the two unite for a one-of-a-kind festive celebration. What NPR calls “one of the freshest sounding, exuberant bands in all of the known acoustic universe,” internationally touring Act of Congress joins the orchestra to bring an Americana flare to holiday favorites.

Act of Congress is consistently voted one of the “Must See Live Acts of Alabama,” completing five tours as U.S. Cultural Ambassador. Currently performing original music at live venues, festivals, and national symphonies including four performances with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Act of Congress has also played back up to country music star Sara Evans and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks. They have released two full length albums, two acclaimed Christmas EPs, a live CD/DVD and the documentary “A Week in the Life.”

You may know Guest Conductor Joseph R. Olefirowicz from his work locally as Artistic Director of the First Music Concert Series and Minister of Music of the First Church in Nashua, but he can be recognized for his symphonic work worldwide. He has appeared at the Munich Philharmonic, Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden, Russian National Symphony, Springfield Symphony Hall and more. In 2018 he will guest conduct with the Vienna Volksopera for his 11th season, which features a new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel and will revive his award-winning production of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.

So make your list and check it twice for Symphony NH’s performances of Holiday Pops. With tickets starting at $18, free tickets for children ages 15 and under, and family friendly start times, this is a concert of exceptional live music for all to enjoy. Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts at 117 Elm Street in Nashua and Sunday, December 10 at 3 pm at Concord City Auditorium 2 Prince Street in Concord. Audience members can bring non-perishable food and pantry items to the concert and receive 10% off future concert tickets all in support of the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter and The Friendly Kitchen in Concord. Use this outing as an early gift for family or friends. Tickets range from $18-$49 with senior, student, and group discounts available. For more information visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

NASHUA, NH— Symphony NH features all American composers to honor Veterans during their November concert of Copland and Barber with guest conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya, November 11 at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua. Grammy Award-winning soprano Christine Brewer joins Symphony NH to perform Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer or 1915, a musical portrait of a dreamy summer night in the American South, on a program featuring Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Joseph R. Olefirowicz on piano with Brewer performing Harold Arlen’s Happiness is a Thing Called Joe, I Had Myself a True Love, and Come Rain or Come Shine.

Conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya is hailed as “superb,” and “expert,” while “coax[ing] every possible expressive note from the instrumentalists.” This Russian born conductor serves as Music Director with Chicago Opera Theater and Artistic Director with Juventas New Music Ensemble/Boston New Music Festival and Refugee Orchestra Project. She has held previous positions including conductor with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Music Director with Commonwealth Lyric Theater, and as Music Director with Harvard’s Lowell House Opera.

Christine Brewer, named one of the top 20 sopranos of all time (BBC Music) is recognized for her unique timbre, boundless power and vibrant personality. She has performed worldwide making appearances in opera, concert and recital. She sung with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, New World and Boston Symphonies, Sydney Opera House and more performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie’s Zankel Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall and more and has appeared in the Boston Celebrity Series, Lincoln Center’s “Art of the Song” series and at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Passionate about passing a love of opera to the younger generation, Brewer introduced “Opera-tunities” to students at the Marissa Elementary School where she once taught in Marissa, Illinois.

Symphony NH bassist, Robert Hoffman will host his popular “Words on Music: Pre-Concert Talk” at the Nashua Public Library, Thursday, November 9 at 5:30 pm. He will be joined by guest conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya and will discuss the program for the performance November 11 featuring Rounds for Strings, David Diamond, Happiness is a Thing Called Joe, Harold Arlen, Knoxville: Summer 1915, Samuel Barber, and Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copland.

The Nashua Community Music School will host Christine Brewer for a free public masterclass Thursday, November 9 at 5:30 pm featuring select voice students singing the New Hampshire All State Audition aria, Vittoria mio core by Giacomo Carissimi. This is an opportunity for voice students looking for professional tips or avid lovers of opera to watch an international opera star foster the next generation of great singers. This event takes place at the Nashua Community Music School, 5 Pine Street Ext. Nashua, NH. For more information call 603-881-7030 or email info@nashuacms.org

Veterans and Active Duty Military receive free tickets to this program thanks to generous support from BAE Systems. Regular tickets are $18 - $49, with senior discounts, $10 student tickets, and free tickets for children 15 and under. Copland and Barber will be performed November 11 at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua. For more information visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

Usher in the Holiday Season with the Friends of Symphony NH’s Holiday House Tour

The Friends of Symphony NH present the annual Holiday House Tour from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, December 3. Tour-goers have the opportunity to view private homes beautifully decorated with style and holiday spirit.

This year, several Nashua and Hollis professionally decorated homes will be open for public tours, including the historic Abbot-Spalding House. The Abbot-Spalding House, built during the Victorian Era, was the home to many prominent Nashua citizens and was a common meeting ground for the famous and influential of New Hampshire. The home features outstanding architecture of the Federal Style and the furnishings include fine pieces collected by the Spalding family, including glass and china.

Be sure to stop by Fulchino Vineyard for a sampling of fine local wine. Enjoy live music at various locations by local musicians and students from Sinfonietta Strings and the Nashua Community Music School. In addition, enjoy a display of blooming orchids from members of the New Hampshire Orchid Society. There is no place like home for the holidays, so join the Friends of Symphony NH’s as you jump into the holiday season. All proceeds benefit Symphony NH Community Programs.

Tickets are $17 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets/information: symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

NASHUA N.H.— Symphony NH announces guest conductors for the remaining orchestra concerts in the 2017-18 season. Lidiya Yankovskaya, Joseph R. Olefirowicz, Roderick Cox, Eric Garcia and Sameer Patel bring their notable range of experience to New Hampshire audiences this season from the San Diego Symphony, the Chicago Opera Theater, the Minnesota Orchestra and more.

Lidiya Yankovskaya is hailed as “superb,” and “expert,” while “coax[ing] every possible expressive note from the instrumentalists.” This Russian born conductor serves as Music Director with Chicago Opera Theater and Artistic Director with Juventas New Music Ensemble/Boston New Music Festival and Refugee Orchestra Project. She has held previous positions including conductor with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Music Director with Commonwealth Lyric Theater, and as Music Director with Harvard’s Lowell House Opera. Lidiya Yankovskaya joins Symphony NH to conduct Copland and Barber, featuring Grammy Award-winning soprano Christine Brewer on November 11 in Nashua.

Joseph R. Olefirowicz brings his symphonic work world-wide, making appearances at the Munich Philharmonic, Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden, Russian National Symphony, Springfield Symphony Hall and more. In 2018 he will guest conduct with the Vienna Volksopera for his 11th season which features a new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel and will revive his award-winning production of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. He also continues to collaborate locally in Nashua as Artistic Director of the First Concert Series and Minister of Music of the First Church of Nashua. See Joseph Olefirowicz conduct Holiday Pops with the internationally touring Americana band Act of Congress on December 9 in Nashua and December 10 in Concord.

Roderick Cox has been recognized as "a trailblazer...a conductor who will be in the vanguard" (Minnesota Star Tribune). He currently serves as Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, and has conducted with the Cleveland and Chineke! Orchestras, and Seattle and Santa Fe Symphonies. In 2016 he conducted a performance for the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. Roderick Cox will conduct an All Beethoven program with violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins on January 27 in Nashua.

Eric Garcia currently serves as Music Director of the Boise Philharmonic. Garcia previously served as Assistant Conductor of the Seattle Symphony, conducting subscription, education, pops, and community concerts. He served as producer for recordings on the Naxos label and conductor for Brandi Carlile’s acclaimed Columbia Records release: Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony. He has collaborated with such esteemed artists as Marvin Hamlisch, Herbie Hancock, Cirque de la Symphonie, Pink Martini, The Chieftains, Assad Brothers, and Indigo Girls. Garcia will conduct Mozart and Bach on March 16 in Concord and March 17 in Nashua.

Sameer Patel, currently serving as the Associate Conductor of the San Diego Symphony, is one of America's most exciting young conductors recognized for his versatile musicianship and passionate communication. In summer 2016, Sameer was selected among 120 conductors to study at Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. In 2013, he was one of only six selected by the League of American Orchestras for the Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Sameer Patel joins Symphony NH to conduct Beethoven 9 with Symphony NH on April 7 in Nashua.

This series of concerts featuring acclaimed guest conductors begins at Symphony NH’s next performance on November 11 with Lidiya Yankovskaya conducting Copland and Barber at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH at 8 pm. Veterans and Active Duty Military receive free tickets to this program thanks to generous support from BAE Systems. Regular tickets are $18 - $49, with senior discounts, $10 student tickets, and free tickets for children 15 and under. For more information visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

Nashua, N.H. – Symphony NH presents an Evening of Classical Indian Music featuring Durga Krishnan playing veena and Gaurishankar Chandrashekhar playing mridangam on Thursday, September 28 at 7:30pm. This is a free event taking place at a private home in Nashua. RSVP is required and available online at www.symphonynh.org/events/intown928.

Durga Krishnan, a graduate of Carnatic Music College of Chennai, India, has been teaching music for over four decades. She lectures across the Boston area including at Harvard University, Boston University, Tufts, Berklee College of Music, and Wellesley and is involved in various Boston area organizations that promote the importance of music in the community.

Gaurishankar Chandrashekhar has over two decades of experience performing with leading artists and dance ensembles. He has guest lectured at Berklee School of Music and collaborated with Bluegrass &amp; Jazz artists to create a recording for Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Classical Companion, a web project designed to inspire young composers.

Durga Krishnan will perform on the veena, India’s oldest and most authentic instrument. The national instrument of India, the veena is four feet in length and played while sitting on the floor in lotus position. Musicians pluck the instrument with two fingers on the right hand while pressing notes with the left hand. Gaurishankar Chandrashekhar accompanies on the mridangam, a percussion instrument from India which is played parallel to the floor. The instrument rests on the foot and ankle and provides a resonating bass sound when stroked.

Symphony NH is proud to highlight such talented musicians in our community. Symphony NHExecutive Director Marc Thayer proposed this performance by Durga Krishnan and Gaurishankar Chandrashekhar, explaining that “Nashua needs to celebrate its diverse neighborhoods and by bringing a variety of music to our community we are able to highlight the many cultures in our own backyard.”

Do not miss out on this memorable evening of live music happening Thursday, September 28from 7:30-9pm in Nashua. Attendees will receive the address for this event with their RSVPconfirmation. RSVP to this event at www.symphonynh.org/events/intown928 or by calling the Symphony NH office at (603) 595-9156. A limited number of tickets are available.

For a list of all Symphony NH events and for tickets to upcoming performances, visitsymphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

Symphony NH Opens Season with Dvořák New World and Highlights New Hampshire Composer

NASHUA, NH – Symphony NH opens its 2017-18 season – the Year of Beethoven – with Dvořák New World on Friday, October 6th at 8 pm at the Concord City Auditorium in Concord, Saturday, October 7th at 8 pm at Keefe Center for the Arts in Nashua, and Tuesday, October 10th at 7 pm at the Paul Creative Arts Center as part of the University of New Hampshire Celebrity Series.

To kick off a season featuring Beethoven, Symphony NH’s October concert series includes one of Beethoven’s greatest accomplishments, his Coriolan Overture. This ten-minute opera is a dark preview of the drama, betrayal, and retribution found in a German author’s interpretation of Coriolanus.

The title work of this program – Antonin Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony “From the New World” – is widely recognized and considered one of the first “American” pieces of music. This bold symphony draws on Dvořák’s time spent touring the United States and features African American and Native American folk music that he studied during his travels. His symphony premiered in the 1800’s, at a time when American music was not globally recognized.

Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony is paired with Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony and draws on the Irish and English roots common among many United States residents and immigrants of the time. Growing up in Henniker, New Hampshire in the 1800’s, Amy Beach was one of the first highly acclaimed American performers and composers, at a time when few women were recognized for their artistic achievements. In response to Dvořák’s Symphony, Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony is a romantic work, highlighting her own heritage along with a vital piece of America’s culture.

In a season opening concert of highlights, this concert recognizes Music Director Jonathan McPhee as his final concert conducting the orchestra. After nine years as Music Director and Principal conductor, Maestro McPhee will be moving on from Symphony NH. President of Symphony NH’s Board of Trustees Dr. Robert Oot says, “we are very grateful to Maestro McPhee for his dedication and contributions to Symphony NH over the past decade, which have brought artistic success to our organization. We know he will continue to bring artistic excellence to new audiences and wish him the best.”

Join Symphony NH for Dvořák New World on Friday, October 6th at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince Street, Concord, NH) at 8 pm; Saturday, October 7th at Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm Street, Nashua, NH) at 8 pm; and Tuesday, October 10th at the Paul Creative Arts Center (30 Academic Way, Durham, NH) at 7 pm. Tickets for the Concord and Nashua concerts are $18-$49, with $10 student tickets, and free tickets for children 15 under. Senior discounts are available. Tickets for the Durham concert are $10-$30 with senior discounts available. For more information about the concert and Symphony NH’s season kick off events visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

Fulchino Vineyard and Symphony NH Partner in First Annual New Hampshire Grape Festival™

Hollis, N.H. – Sample local wine, have a good time and support Symphony NH at Fulchino Vineyard’s first annual New Hampshire Grape Festival™! Fulchino Vineyard, located on 187 Pine Hill Road in Hollis, NH will be hosting this event on Sunday, September 17, 2017 from 1 pm to 5pm, a free event for all ages.

Nestled away in beautiful Hollis, Fulchino Vineyard’s ambiance creates the perfect environment to spend a Sunday afternoon with family and friends. Take a moment to enjoy and appreciate the experience and begin a New Hampshire tradition with your family.

Indulge in gelato, cool off with Italian Ice, and savor table grapes (proceeds of sales support Symphony NH). Learn about the wine-making process and how grapes are picked, commemorating your day with a picture in the grape stomping barrel. For the adults, enjoy a complimentary tasting of Fulchino Vineyard’s fine wines. There is sure to be something enjoyable for the whole family, so stop by any time, no ticket or RSVP is required. Don’t forget to purchase a bottle of Fulchino Vineyard wine while you are there, where 20% of the event’s proceeds will benefit Symphony NH’s community and education programs.

Be sure not to miss out on the first ever New Hampshire Grape Festival™ in support of Symphony NH on September 17 th from 1-5PM. Please visit our website at symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156 for more information about this event. Information is also available with Fulchino Vineyard on their website fulchinovineyard.com or call (603) 438-5984.

This is just the start of SNH’s 2017-18 season kick-off events. Symphony NH will be performing free string quartet concerts at Canterbury Shaker Village and Nashua Public Library. The season also kicks off with Beethoven Brunch on September 24th, a toast to exceptional live music with a string quartet concert and brunch. For a list of all Symphony NH event information and for tickets, visit symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

NASHUA, NH – Symphony NH announces its 2016-17 season, featuring world-class soloists, two New Hampshire premieres, and additional concerts across the Granite State. Maestro Jonathan McPhee leads the orchestra into its 94th season with The Essential RING – Part II in Nashua on Sunday October 2nd. Praised as “outstanding Wagner” by The Boston Globe, this monumental adaptation brings the stellar soloists, the combined forces of Symphony NH and the Lexington Symphony, and the epic story of Wagner’s Ring Cycle to New Hampshire audiences. McPhee recalls the finale of Symphony NH’s previous season with the Essential RING – Part I: “The singers were amazing, the orchestra was fabulous. Part I brought the most enthusiastic audience I’ve ever seen to a Symphony NH concert.”

In November Irina Muresanu returns to Symphony NH as violin soloist and conductor, leading and inspiring the orchestra’s string musicians in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and other iconic stringed instrument repertoire. Audiences across the state can enjoy this concert in Nashua, Concord, and Lebanon.

Now a Nashua tradition, Symphony NH will be performing the beloved Holiday Pops twice with an additional concert in Concord. McPhee says, “Holiday Pops is always a meaningful time for our community as we celebrate some of the great music of the holiday season. Now we get to share this time with an even larger community across the state.”

The season continues in January 2017 with the return of pianist Max Levinson performing Beethoven’s transformative Piano Concerto No. 4 on a concert with Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro and Schoenberg’s darkly romantic Verklärte Nacht. Another Symphony NH favorite, cellist Sergey Antonov, returns in March to perform Tchaikovsky’s brilliant Variations on a Rococo Theme alongside Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 and the New Hampshire Premiere of Theofanidis’ Dreamtime Ancestors.

The 2016-17 season concludes with Symphony NH’s own Cheryl Bishkoff, principal oboe, performing Martinů’s Concerto for Oboe, which McPhee calls, “one of my favorites”, on a program with Smetana’s beloved work The Moldau and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7. This final concert featuring the works of Czech composers and their musical heritage will be performed in Nashua, Concord, and Lebanon.

Symphony NH continues to expand across the state and bring exceptional music to new audiences. Tickets and subscriptions go on sale June 1st. For more information visit www.symphonynh.org or call (603) 595-9156.

Nashua, NH - The Symphony NH Board of Trustees led by President Dr. Robert Oot is pleased to announce the selection of Marc Thayer as the new Executive Director of Symphony NH. Mr. Thayer is currently the Deputy Director of the Association of American Voices. A search committee of individuals from the Symphony NH Board and Orchestra, assisted by Polly Kahn of PK Orchestra Solutions of New York City, conducted an extensive national search of industry professionals.

Board President Dr. Robert Oot gave the following statement upon Thayer accepting the position: “We at Symphony NH are delighted that Marc will be joining our organization. His vast experience in the music world is an excellent match for Symphony NH, and we are very excited that he will be leading us as we continue to grow and perform across the state of New Hampshire. I am confident that he will be successful as our Executive Director and am looking forward to his arrival next month.”

Symphony NH, New Hampshire’s leading professional orchestra, is committed to performing high quality classical music across the Granite State and concluded its 2015-16 season with Jonathan McPhee’s adaptation The Essential RING – Part I. Part II of what The Boston Globedescribed as “intensely dramatic” and “outstanding Wagner” will be Symphony NH’s 2016-17 opening concert in Nashua on October 2nd.

Upon notification of his selection, Mr. Thayer made the following statement: “I’m excited and honored to join the Symphony NH family with Music Director Jonathan McPhee, whose vision has turned this organization into the premiere professional orchestra in New Hampshire. The orchestra’s proud past and terrific potential promise a future of exciting growth, meaningful collaborations, and community connections throughout the region.”

Thayer worked with American Voices since 2011, where he managed cultural programs for the US Department of State and coordinated performing arts and education programs in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Previously he was Vice President for Education and Community Partnerships with the St. Louis Symphony and the Founder and Manager of Community Engagement for the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida. Marc has been on faculty at Washington University, St. Louis University, and the Community Music School of Webster University. Thayer holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Thayer will begin his role as Executive Director with Symphony NH on July 1st.

Symphony NH will be holding a public event for members of the community, press, and government wishing to learn more about Mr. Thayer’s goals for the future of Symphony NH and its work in the community. This event will be scheduled for early fall; for more information call (603) 595-9156 or visit www.symphonynh.org.

NASHUA, NH – Your favorite coffee shop, a gallery at the art museum, your neighborhood library – now all places you can also enjoy live music. Symphony NH’s new InTown Community Music Series aims to bring live music to community spaces with performances by small groups of musicians in collaboration with local organizations and businesses. The series begins with a free concert at the Nashua Public Library on February 3rd at 12 pm. Reservations are required. Stop by the library during your lunch break or start your weekend early while listening to violins, viola, and cello performing Mozart and more.

The free concerts at the Nashua Public Library features Symphony NH concertmaster Elliott Markow performing with Rose Drucker on violin, Kathleen Kalogeras on viola, and Harel Gietheim on cello. “These chamber music concerts – only a few musicians performing rather than the entire orchestra – are a unique experience for the audience and the performers,” explains Markow. “Especially with this program featuring Mozart and his contemporaries, the audience can listen for the musical ‘conversations’ and more closely enjoy these moments between the individual musicians.”

The series continues later in February with Debussy aFire, a concert in collaboration with Riverwalk Café and Music Bar in Nashua. On February 17th join Symphony NH strings to hear works by Debussy and Glass alongside aFire, the band of brothers from global mothers that begins with the soul of freedom and space. Debussy aFire will be a world of music and centuries on inspiration in one evening. Tickets are $10 in advance and $13 at the door.

In March the Hunt Memorial Building, thanks to the support of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, hosts an InTown concert with cellist Nathanial Lathrop and pianist Rebecca Plummer performing Beethoven, Dvorak, and Brahms. This free concert will be March 29th at 6 pm. Reservations are required.

More information about Symphony NH’s InTown music series is available online at www.symphonynh.org or by calling (603) 595-9156.